Chapter Sixty: The Master of the Ancient Cave

Beside the skeleton that sat silently, untouched by the passage of countless years, flowers and grasses bloomed in profusion, their fragrance thick and pervasive. Amidst this lush growth, a single medicinal herb stood out, its crimson hue almost demonic, drawing all attention to itself.

“Spirit Grass!”

Seeing the herb, a rare smile flashed across Nangong Xue’s face. She moved swiftly, her delicate hand reaching toward it. Clearly, this was the item she had been searching for all along. If she could obtain it, her father would be saved.

Watching Nangong Xue, Ye Cheng too noticed the Spirit Grass. Though it was a treasure of immense value, it was not particularly useful to him. He abided by his previous agreement with Nangong Xue, offering a calm smile as he turned his gaze to their surroundings. He was somewhat disappointed; within this area, there were no extraordinary treasures, only some uncommon herbs. It was evident that this place was the garden of the ancient cave’s master.

Having found nothing remarkable, Ye Cheng focused his attention on Nangong Xue. When his gaze swept over the Spirit Grass, his eyes narrowed suddenly.

At the very moment Nangong Xue’s hand was about to touch the Spirit Grass, the herb abruptly uprooted itself and soared into the air, evading her grasp.

Ye Cheng was taken aback by the spectacle—a herb with its own spirit?

Nangong Xue, too, was momentarily stunned; no one could have anticipated such a scene. It was as if the Spirit Grass possessed a soul of its own.

The two of them stared in astonishment as the Spirit Grass hovered in midair. Then, faint points of light emerged from the skeleton, gathering and slowly coalescing into the silhouette of a person. In the end, this form resolved into the shining image of a middle-aged man, noble in appearance, floating in the air. The Spirit Grass lay quietly in his hand.

The apparition was ethereal, clearly not a corporeal being. He looked to be about forty, his demeanor cultured and refined.

Seeing the shock on Ye Cheng and Nangong Xue’s faces, the middle-aged man smiled gently, his voice teasing, “You two are quite something, escaping the Golden-Furred Ape King and making your way here.”

Ye Cheng recognized the man’s current state, which resembled that of Elder Mu, though something seemed subtly different—yet he couldn’t quite identify what it was.

“Who are you?” Nangong Xue asked, her brows furrowing as she fixed her gaze on the apparition, the Spirit Grass resting in his hand.

The man smiled, “Who do you think I am?”

“Are you the master of this ancient cave—the legendary top-tier alchemist?” Nangong Xue blurted out, recalling how the light had drifted from the seated skeleton and then formed the figure before her.

Ye Cheng inwardly affirmed her guess. In this place, the apparition could only be the cave’s master.

“You’re still alive?” Nangong Xue’s expression was incredulous. The notion of a person reduced to bones reappearing in another form was understandably shocking.

Ye Cheng shook his head, understanding Nangong Xue’s astonishment; he himself had felt the same when he first met Elder Mu. Gazing at the smiling, refined man, he said, “If I’m not mistaken, you’re currently in a soul state, aren’t you?”

“Oh, you’re quite perceptive,” the gentleman replied, surprised, before continuing with a smile, “But you’re only half right. I am not a complete soul; at most, I am a remnant of spiritual consciousness.”

“A remnant of spiritual consciousness…” Ye Cheng murmured, then suddenly realized, “So, you no longer exist?” He vaguely understood what this meant. Elder Mu had told him before that such remnants could not last long; once extinguished, the person would truly vanish from the world.

“Heh, life and death follow their own order—why force it?” The refined man smiled calmly, his expression distant as if lost in memories. “One misstep all those years ago left me stranded here. Fortunately, I managed to condense this remnant, and after a hundred years, I can still speak with you.”

“But that’s all in the past; there’s no use dwelling on it now.”

After a brief silence, the gentleman returned to himself, turning his gaze to Nangong Xue. He pointed to the Spirit Grass in his hand and asked, “Young lady, is this what you seek?”

Nangong Xue nodded respectfully. “I hope you might grant me the Spirit Grass, sir. I would be deeply grateful.”

“Heh, this herb has accompanied me for centuries. To give it away is not easy, I must admit.” The man looked at the Spirit Grass, then tossed it toward Nangong Xue with a sigh. “Now that I’ve been dead for many years, it’s of little use to me. Let this young lady take advantage.”

As the Spirit Grass flew toward her, Nangong Xue’s face lit up with joy. She reached out, catching it precisely, then bowed respectfully to the apparition. “Thank you, sir.”

He waved his hand carelessly, smiling without regret. As a top-tier alchemist, he had once valued the rare Spirit Grass highly, but now, as a man who no longer truly existed, worldly things held little meaning for him.

The gentleman’s gaze moved back and forth between Ye Cheng and Nangong Xue. A silver gleam shone in his eyes, locking onto the two.

Under his gaze, Ye Cheng felt as though his secrets were laid bare before the man.

After a moment, the silver light faded, and the man looked at Ye Cheng with a smile. “You’re quite a remarkable young man—even I can’t see through you. But alas, you lack the talent for fire.”

At this, a hint of regret colored the gentleman’s expression.

吞圣60_吞圣全文免费阅读_Chapter Sixty: The Ancient Cave’s Master has been updated!